Improvement in direct-acting steam-pumps



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Direct Acting Steam-Pumps, A No.154 072, Patented Aug.11,874.

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Direct Acting Steam-Pumps. 910,154,072. Patented/xugnmsm NITHD ASTATES yIE'LLHLENT OFFICE.

' y JOHN NORTH, or SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN olRi-:cT-AOTING STEAM-PUMPS.

Q Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,072, dated August 11, 1874; application Iled v July V27, 1874.

Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in Direct-Acting Steam- Pumps, of which the following is a specifica- My invention relates to certain improvements in direct-acting steam-pumps, in which 'y the usual stuffing-boxes are dispensed with, Y andthe steam-valves operated directly by the action of the steam, the pump-cylinders and water-cylinders being directly connected together 'bymeans of a short metallic section, properly-bored for the piston-rod, and provided with a stuing-box of peculiar construction, as will be fully set forth and described.

M yinvention consists, first, in a new and improved stuflin g-box for the metallic connecting section between the two cylinders, by means of which the piston-rod ispacked and lubricated; second, in an improved hollow oscillatn g valve, operated by aroclr-shaft having plungers at or near each end, which are operated by the 'direct action of the steam at each'alternate stroke of the-piston, for the purpose of shifting said valve andchangin g the ports of the cylinder; third, in certain new and improved devices andcomhinations of the same for operating the steam-valve, as and for the purposes set forth.- y

Inthe dtawin gs, Figure 1 represents a longitu'dinal vertical section of my invention, and Fig. 2`is a top view'lof theV same. Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical section of the steam-cylinder and valve-box, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the `water-'cylinder and valvebox. Fig. 5 represents three detached views of lthe'steam-valve. Fig. 6 is a view of the steam-piston. Fig. 7 is two views of the rockshaft, which is attached to the steam-valve; and Fig. 8 are the plungers, which are operated by steam, alternately, at each end stroke of thepiston, and give motion to the rockshaft and valve. Fig. 9 is a view of one of the valvesused in the water-cylinder valve-box. Fig.'10 represents a transverse vertical section of the steam-cylinder and valve-box at a point midwaybetween the two ends.

A represents the steam-cylinder, and B the water-cylinder, connected together by a metal- Vor ports L.

lic section, C, bored longitudinally for the reception of the piston-rod D. as shown. Said section is cast with the headsE LE on each end,

by which it is attached to the cylinders, and it has a recess, 1', cast or formed 'at-right angles to the longitudinal bore for the piston-rod, and crossing it, for the reception of pack-ing. Said recess is closed by means Vof a screw-cap', provided with an oil-cup, G, by means of which oil can be supplied to the piston-rod whenever desired. H represents the valve-box on top of the steam-cylinder, and I the valve working therein. .Said valve is made hollow and slightly tapering, and is provided withfglands' 0r bushings K K, in which it moves; said glands having openings L, corresponding to openings M in the valve, as shown in-the sec tional views, Fig. 5. The smaller end of the valve rests against a plate, N, which `bears against theed ge of the bushing or gland, and keeps the vvalve frbm bindingftherein. The glands or bushes are secured nlthe valve-box, one over each port of the steam-cylinder, with which it communicates through the openings '10 the center of said valve is rigidly secured a rock-shaft, O, which receives an oscillating motion as the steam is alternately introduced on each side of the steam-piston.4

This rock-shaft gives a correspondingmotion to the valve. i, rlhe valve is provided near each end with three openings or ports, M, and between these ports .the exterior of thefvalve is cut away longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 5, fromnear each end toward thecenter,-the cut portions terminating beyond the central ends of the glands, as shown. These central ends of the glands terminate at the exhaust-port of the valve-bornand the cut `portions of the valve leave spaces vl? P betweenthe inner surface of the glands and the valve, which connect the exhaust-port Vat proper intervals with the eX- hausting side of the cylinder. The steam passes into the valve at the induction-port R. When the piston is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the end of the valve over the port S will loe in the position shown at 1, Fig. 5, with the openings-or ports in the valve and gland together, allowing v the steam to enter behind the piston and push it forward. The exhaust steam will escape through the port S', through the apertures or ports in the gland or bushing, into and through the spaces P P, and then into the eduction or exhaust port T at the center. This end of the valve'will be in the position shown at 2 in Fig. 5, the ports in the bushing or gland opening into the spaces P P, as shown. The rock-shaft O is provided at each end with a plunger, U, working in a small cylindrical cavity at each side of the cylinder, which communicates with the same. The plun gers are made-hollow, and provided with small apertures at their bottom for the escape of steam when returning after their upward strokes, to prevent rebounding or reaction. These apertures are not large enough, however, to interfere with the action of the steam when let on in full volume beneath the plungers, and prevent -said `plungers from being thrown yupward thereby. The steam which escapes through said apertures finds its way into the exhaust-port T in the valve-box. To one side of the rock-shaft O I attacha rod, O', passing through the upper side of the valveboX, by means of -which the said shaft may be put in motion by hand, to shift or operate the valves when starting the engine. VThe cylindrical cavitiesin which the plungers U work communicate with the steam cylinder by means of short passages U1 U2, opening into said cylinderat each side of a point midway between the two ends, so that the long piston V will clear either one or the other at the end vof each stroke, and admit the steam beneath the plunger to shift the valve. In the drawing, as represented at Fig. 10, the piston is shown at the end of its stroke, leaving the end ofthe passage yU clear. As vthe piston traverses the cylinder, after leaving either end, it closes both of the passages U and U1, and keeps-them Aclosed until it reaches the other end, as will be readily perceived.

y.As the steam is alternately let in to and discharged 'from each .side ofv the piston, the plungers are raised and depressed, giving the proper motionv to the valve, and changing its ports, as above described. The piston V, attached to the piston-rod D, is made hollow, and'isI provided with the ordinary packingrings. The Vpiston-rod D extends through a stulhng-box on the front .head of the cylinder, and is'connected to a hand-lever, by means of which the pump may be operated, temporarily, in the absence of steam.

Arepresentsthe valve-box attached to the water-cylinder. Said box is made in two compartments, -B C. The lower compartment,

site side of the piston. The chamber C is provided with similar puppet-valves, G1 G2, seated upon apertures leading to the cylinderports, but opening upward into said compartment, which communicates with the escapeports F'.

The operation of these valves will be readily understood. As the piston Hl moves forward with the piston-rod a vacuum is created behind it, and the water flows'in through the induction-port E', pushing the valve D2, and entering behind the piston. The water previously; drawn in on the other side of the piston will be forced out, through the opposite port, into the eduction port or chamber, lifting the valve G1 automatically. The pressure of the water will keep the valves D1and G2 in place during the entire stroke of the piston. On its return-stroke these valves will operate in a manner similar to` that of the valves D2, and G1 willv remain closed. Y ,y

The peculiar construction of my improved pump enables me to dispense with the usual stuing-boxes and much of the machinery hitherto necessary for operating the steamvalves, and also to lubricate the various working parts by the action of the steam and water alone during the action of the pump. I attach oil-cups, however, to various parts of the apparatus, in order to oil the parts when about to stop the engine, to prevent rust or injury from the water while the engine is at rest.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improved stuffing-box and oiler, in combination with the connecting section of a direct-acting steam-pump, the heads of which are formed with the sections in one piece, for the purpose of packing the piston-rod and lubricating it, as herein described.

2. The combination of the oscillating slotted valve with a rock-shaft and plunger, operated by the direct action of the steam, as described, for the purpose of admitting and discharging the steam at each alternate stroke of the piston, as herein described.

3. The combination of the oscillating piston, rock-shaft, and the plungers ateach end of same, operated directly-by thesteam from the cylinder, for the purpose of imparting the proper motion to the valve, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN NORTH.

,Witnesses JAMES L. NoRRIs, ALBERT H. NoRRIs. 

